More particularly the invention relates to a catalyst for dehydrogenating organic compounds such as optionally substituted alkanes or aralkyls, which is at least derived from iron oxides and potassium oxide. Such catalysts are in principle known from e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,644,549, 3,998,757 and 4,220,560, British Pat. Nos. 1,152,484, 1,550,873 and 2,091,757B.
However, all these patents disclose the use of catalyst compositions for dehydrogenation of alkanes, optionally substituted by an aryl and more particularly a phenyl group, which are containing in addition to iron and potassium one or more other metals included in a spinel or perovskite structure, in order to enhance the activity and/or the selectivity of this dehydrogenation of more particularly ethyl benzene.
Due to the present economic requirements, research for further improved catalyst systems, showing an improved activity and selectivity and obtainable by using more simple metal ingredient mixtures, has continued.
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide such improved catalyst systems, which may be manufactured in an economically attractive way by using rather simple starting compositions and which may meet the present economical requirements as to dehydrogenation processes.